Pick and stick with young sensation

Ponting calls for Pucovski to play against Sri Lanka

VideoRicky Ponting says rising star Will Pucovski should be selected for the Test team for the Sri Lanka seriesVideo: METHODE

Australian cricket selectors have taken a risk by selecting young batsman Will Pucovski.

The 20-year-old is likely to make his Test debut against Sri Lanka at the GABBA this month, despite playing just eight first class games.

A fantastic 243 while playing for Victoria against Western Australia at the WACA in October put the eyes of the cricketing world on this promising product.

There is an argument that he is not ready to play and could potentially struggle in the future if things do not go his way early.

This could be avoided if selectors go through with their risk and stick with Pucovski for at least three Test matches, no matter what he does.

To expect a batsman of such little experience to just settle and play a big role from day one is a big ask.

There is very little experience around the new batsman in the Test side at the moment.

Fellow batsman Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw have all played less that 15 Test matches, meaning captain Tim Paine and top order specialist Usman Khawaja will be heavily relied upon to lead from the front.

So it is fair to expect that if Pucovski plays, he will at some point come into bat to when the Australians are in trouble.

For him to then go on and play a match-winning knock would be way too much to ask for.

Then there is the fact Australian selectors have been happy to chop and change the Australian side a lot between Tests.

Peter Handscomb played two Tests, was dropped and then recalled for one before finding himself on the outer, all this summer.

Mitch Marsh has played just one Test this summer, while opener Aaron Finch was dropped after struggling for three Tests against India.

So there will no doubt be some worry in the back of many of these batsmen’s minds that one or two failures and you could be on the outer again.

For all the batsmen, but especially Pucovski, selectors need to come out and say they are backing this team for at least the two Tests against Sri Lanka.

Yes, Steven Smith and David Warner will cause selection headaches for the Ashes because they will be available.

So will Cameron Bancroft, who no doubt has a point to prove.

But if batsmen around the country, Pucovski in particular, are to be successful, they need a clear direction and a decent chance to showcase they can do the job for their nation.